ALCL08993: Detailed Agricultural Land Classification Survey for Lesbury, 1989-1999

Original paper maps and reports from a detailed post-1988 Agricultural Land Classification survey for the Lesbury site. The data includes scanned maps at scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000 and uses the official grading methodology, subdividing Grade 3 into 3a and 3b. Some surveys also contain unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions, collected by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

Use Cases

• Classify agricultural land capability based on the official grading methodology described in the survey reports.
• Analyze soil characteristics and limitations for specific sites using the unedited sample point and soil pit data.
• Map historical land quality at varying scales (1:5,000 to 1:50,000) for regional planning or environmental studies.
• Compare land classification subgrades (3a and 3b) within Grade 3 agricultural land.

Strengths

• Uses the current official Agricultural Land Classification grading methodology for England and Wales.
• Includes scanned original maps at detailed scales, typically 1:10,000.
• Contains subdivision of Grade 3 land into subgrades 3a and 3b for finer analysis.
• Some surveys provide raw, unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Provenance

Source

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF), via Natural England and the Government Digital Service.

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys involving field mapping and soil analysis, with results recorded on paper maps and in reports.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

Survey data collected between 1989 and 1999; last platform update unknown.

Geography

Lesbury (Alnwick D.L.P. Site H6(23)), England, United Kingdom.